Hey! I've been at deaths door ya know, lighten up

Ok, Ok....what the hell month is it? Hey, I've been at deaths door ya know so lighten up. I'm not a freakin clay factory with child labour so I'm a little behind.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOX.....deep breath....

Thankyou so much for your enthusiastic response to my polymer nude bracelets. Its so so gratifying and affirming that so many appreciate great art and the woman's delicious form. This afternoon ...well about 1 hour ago I pulled myself from my bunk, only to discover it was September my how time flies when you are comatose. I am just happy to be with ya all. A run in with an Ebola/cholera/bubonic bug laid me flat for hmmm....lets count 4 days...so nice to talk to you all again. I will be back in full studio production once I have a spare hand, presently both are busy blowing,shoving meds in or hanging on to the great white telephone calling Europe.

Side tracked

In the midst of my Polymer sweat I had an idea about polymer and watercolor. Treating the baked clay like a canvas. I mean making the canvas inside the polymer actually covering it in canvas, treat it, paint it then mold a frame around it, baking it and making the pieces into cabochons for box lids, pins, bracelets etc.

Polymer nakedness

I have been wearing a bracelet I made during a workshop at Port Townsend years ago and am always surprised at the comments this simple little bracelet receives. Men, woman of all ages and little children all seem to find something enjoyable in this piece. Women like the color...beige, coffee and black. Men the largeness of each plate and the many nude woman in all stages of movement and children just giggle. Since I have just finished an epic picking up and touching every bead I own and am horrified to disrupt, possibly disorganize any of this new order, I have decided to make a few of these bracelets and see if they sell. Today, I have dusted off the pasta machine and have begun to condition the clay....pictures to follow.

BIG BIG OOPS!

Fell against table holding every bead ever purchased and tipped table over!

Art Week....Totally

It began with the Express Post to my numero uno girlie of a jewelry survival package. Last week she had whined out a "help me please, I have nothing to adorn my luscious body with", meaning jewelry. Since I was hyper alert and still on a drug high and on day 3 of a migraine marathon, I whipped a little something up for her. Well Alla be praised it was the beginning of an art buffet I usually only dream about. I moved through the bead paraphernalia like a PMS'er with an eat free coupon at Marble Slab. Today, I finished the Back to school 2008 collection for my #2 girlie Sarah and will toss it in the mail tomorrow.

Now herein lies the message. Art for me is created best in chaos and amongst other mediums. My slightly messy style I wish to call "My Method", where anyone and anything in my near vicinity is touched by my gunk of choice has a hidden reward. You have to be patient and wait for it because it does not show itself until the very end or often later than the end. Standing back this morning for a studio look has given me my direction for this next week. My revelation...Polymer clay develops a leather look and feel when dipped in coffee; Beads glued on to beads have a very cool look; Sitting on heavy, damp watercolor paper with small beads and threads underneath will emboss the paper in a somewhat attractive way; You CAN paint carpet and my favorite surprise, Metallic ink can be used quite effectively to decorate windows. All in all a very productive and inspirational experience.

The rain in Spain lays mainly on ........

Yup, it's raining here in the desert of Western Canada and boy are we celebrating every drop. It sort of sizzles and disappears in a little cloud of steam as it hits the ground moving the humidity to 110% and lowering the air temperature to 40 C. None of us menopausal folk are complaining. Standing outside in the barest of legal clothing and catching the drops gives one such a sense of joie de vie that no yelling has been heard for at least an hour. Golfers are out on the course, beach volleyball is in full swing and barbeque's are smoking. Its a wonderful life and it's very possible I may live another day. Peace out.

Migraine, Heaven or Hell?

The migraine hit Friday 3:43 am. I awoke fully alert, feeling all the blinding pain, flashes of light, total body cleanse, hearing of Superman, charm of Kim Kardashian (am I the only one who finds her a total bitch), the dilated brain can experience. I immediately woke the devoted caring man and the dear dog who worships my every word for TLC and that was the last I saw or heard from them. They had pressing business elsewhere. Three days later, I still have the migraine but have completed a painting, made 5 Lariat necklaces, 10 pairs of earrings, a pillow calligraphed with the Chinese symbol for peace, made a batch of Nana's chicken (the sweet), a bale of nuts and bolts {the salty), a liter of home made Baileys ( the analgesic} and a batch of Congee (Chinese answer to all digestive ails} and mailed the LostnFound August Challenge ( I think I was the only participant}. Now here comes the heaven part, I lost 8 Lbs.